The printer whirred and spit out my boarding pass. My heart sank as I read the name. Mark. The name everyone knows me by, but not my first name. Not the name on my ID.
Trouble lies ahead, I thought. Visions of becoming far better friends with a TSA agent than I ever desired danced through my head. I paused and looked at the pass.
Finally realizing that no other options existed, I pulled my driver’s license from my wallet and handed it, along with the boarding pass, to the gate attendant. Who took a look, checked off the pass and took my bag. The folks at security screening said nothing either.
Four times on this trip – twice going and twice coming, the process repeated. Only once did someone notice the mismatch of the names. Only once did I have to show additional identification – and a credit card sufficed.
While I appreciated the lack of hassle, it made me wonder. I will take care to make sure it does not happen again (others purchased the ticket for me). But I still wonder.
See you along the Trail.
3 October 2011
CO 1575
Along the Graybeard Trail 